Having the best blow dryer can be the difference between a good hair day and a bad hair day. Sure, you can save a few bucks because you just need to dry your hair, right? Well, if you want a frizz-free dry or a salon-style blowout, you’ll want to consider more than just price. In this article, I will give you some information on blow dryers in general and then give you a review of these ten blow dryers:
- Harry Josh Pro Tools Pro Dryer 2000 – Our Favorite
- Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer – Upgrade Pick
- Conair InfinitiPRO 294NPR – Budget Pick
- T3 Cura Luxe Hair Dryer
- ghd Air Hair Dryer
- Solano Supersolano 3500 Lite Professional Hair Dryer – No Longer Available
- Drybar Buttercup Blow Dryer
- Paul Mitchell Neuro Dry Blow Dryer
- BIO IONIC 10x Ultralight Speed Dryer
- Rusk W8less Ceramic and Tourmaline Hair Dryer
These reviews will point out some of the features of great hair dryers. In the end, I will also tell you which one I rated as the best hair dryer and why it is the best.
Blow Dryer Basics
Let’s start by telling you some need-to-know information about blow dryers. Once you know some basic information as well as the types that are available, it will be easier to choose the best hair dryer for your needs. Keep reading to find out why you should invest in a good blow dryer instead of settling for a cheap one.
Why a Good Blow Dryer is Important
Many people choose a blow dryer based on price alone. While this may be a good method for your wallet, it isn’t necessarily a good method for your hair. Sure, any blow dryer can blow your hair but if you don’t want to look like a chia pet when you’re done, you should probably invest in a good one.
A good blow dryer will provide you with more benefits besides drying your hair. It will provide your hair with a lustrous shine, body, and texture. A good blow dryer provides your hair with health benefits in addition to drying it.
Different Types of Blow Dryers
Ionic Blow Dryers
Ionic blow dryers have built-in ion generators and tend to last longer than traditional hair dryers. Ionic dryers use the power of negative ions to dry your hair rather than increased heat. Traditional hair dryers generate positive ions which cause the cuticles to raise up, resulting in loss of natural moisture and a frizzy look. Negative ions have the opposite effect–they seal in natural moisture, dry your hair faster than traditional hair dryers, and makes your hair look better. The result is soft, supple, shiny hair that isn’t dried out.
Tourmaline Blow Dryers
Tourmaline is a material that conducts a large number of negative ions, even more than an actual ionic blow dryer. So, you are probably wondering why you would opt for an ionic blow dryer instead of a tourmaline blow dryer. Tourmaline blow dryers tend to cost more, so budget would be the big factor in determining your choice between a tourmaline blow dryer or an ionic blow dryer. You could save money by getting a blow dryer that is a mix of tourmaline and ceramic. This type of blow dryer works best for thick, coarse, and/or frizzy hair. If you have thin, fine hair, you probably want to avoid this type of blow dryer.
Titanium Blow Dryers
Any titanium styling tool is going to be top of the line when it comes to performance and quality. Blow dryers are no exception. Even though they may crack your wallet, titanium blow dryers are a great choice for people who want nothing but the best. It’s lightweight, easy to use, and reduces drying time for people with thick hair.
Ceramic Blow Dryers
Ceramic blow dryers are great for people who blow dry their hair often, for people with thin or fine hair, or for people who’s hair is damaged. This is because ceramic has a unique property that allows it to disperses heat evenly and more efficiently than metal or plastic dryers not coated in ceramic. Because of this, you don’t need as much heat to dry your hair. You won’t have to worry about damage from over-drying your hair.
The downside with ceramic is that a ceramic blow dryer tends to weigh more, but this probably won’t be a problem unless you have health issues with your hands or wrists. If you have a problem with frizzy hair, ceramic dryers are the best type for that. Pair the science behind ceramic hair dryers with a cool shot and you have a quick, healthy, and effective way to eliminate frizz.
How to Choose a Good Blow Dryer
Pay attention to wattage instead of heat.
Pay attention to wattage instead of heat. Many blow dryers are advertised as hotter than all the rest, but having the hottest blow dryer may not always be the best for your hair. Depending on the type of hair you have, you may not even need the highest setting of heat. Thick, coarse hair benefits from high heat levels, but thin hair would be best dried on a low heat setting. The more watts your blow dryer has, the harder (not necessarily hotter) it will blow. Having a good amount of power will dry your hair without you having to heat it to death. It is recommended to buy a blow dryer with at least 1350 watts. If you have thicker hair, try to get a blow dryer that has at least 1850 watts..
A cool shot option is helpful.
A cool shot option is helpful. Many blow dryers come with a “cool shot” option. This is a great feature to have because it seals the cuticles, giving your hair that “finished” look. A cool shot option will help set your hair, give it shine, and make the style last longer. It is also great for setting curls and waves.
Consider your hair type.
Consider your hair type. Blow dryers are not “one size fits all”. Your hair type will make a huge difference in which blow dryer will be best for you. In general, thick, coarse hair needs more power while thin, fine hair needs less. You also have to consider other factors such as damaged hair, relaxed or permed hair, curly or straight hair and more. Fine, thin hair will benefit more from a ceramic blow dryer. For thick, coarse hair, choose a tourmaline or ionic blow dryer.
Harry Josh Pro Tools Pro Dryer 2000
Our Pick
The Harry Josh Pro Dryer 2000 stands out because it is made by someone with first-hand knowledge about what hair needs from a blow dryer. Harry Josh is one of the best celebrity hair stylists, having styled the hair of Cindy Crawford, Olivia Wilde, and other famous celebrities. He used his extensive knowledge of hair to create the perfect blow dryer.
First off, the blow dryer has won awards. Allure magazine named it The Best of Beauty in 2014, 2015, and 2016. Allure magazine is a well-respected beauty source so this would be enough for me to put my trust in this blow dryer. The only reason it didn’t continue to win these awards? Harry Josh created a second version of the same blow dryer (how do you upgrade an already perfect product?), so the second one started getting the awards.
You may be wondering why I am reviewing the older version rather than the newer version. The reason is that the first version is a near-perfect styling tool and it is cheaper than the second version. That gives it just a few extra cool points in my book.
Ratings on a scale of 1 to 5:
Ease of Use: 5
Durability: 5
Heat Output: 5
Price: 3
Options/Settings: 5
Power/Watts: 5
Features of the Harry Josh Pro Tools Pro Dryer 2000
The Harry Josh Pro Tools Pro Dryer 2000 is ergonomically designed and easy to handle. The curved handle makes it easy to use and grip while drying your hair. The motor is 1875 watts, 125 volts, and will blow air at 80+ mph. This is a very powerful blow dryer but it also has a filtration system that saves up to 70% of energy consumption compared to the competition.
Another great feature is the fact that you can turn the built-in ion generator on and off. When you take into account the heat, speed, and ion settings, you get eight different settings. That is eight choices of how you want to dry/style your hair.
I will mention that this particular blow dryer is the same model as the Velecta hair dryer, and manufactured by the same company. So in essence, Harry Josh simply stamped his name on it, but the fact that he was willing to put his reputation on the line by giving his seal of approval to this hair dryer shows that this is a great, high-quality product.
Where to buy:
Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer
Upgrade Pick
If you are the type of person that loves techy things, the Dyson Supersonic ionic hair dryer is the perfect hair dryer for you. Not only is it digital, but it is also computerized. The Dyson Supersonic hair dryer has a microprocessor inside that monitors the air temperature 20 times per second (no, that isn’t a typo–it’s really 20 times per second) to prevent heat damage to your hair. This results in the evenest heat distribution of any hair dryer on the market.
The Dyson Supersonic has a cool shot feature, four heat settings, three airflow settings, and a 1600 watt motor. If you know anything about Dyson, especially their vacuum cleaners, you know that Dyson is known for producing machines with great airflow. The dryer has a two-year warranty, but with Dyson’s reputation, I doubt you would need it.
Ratings on a scale of 1 to 5:
Ease of Use: 5
Durability: 5
Heat Output: 5
Price: 2
Options/Settings: 4
Power/Watts: 4
Where to buy:
Conair InfinitiPRO 294NPR
Budget Pick
Sometimes you just need something inexpensive. There is nothing wrong with that!
Just because your budget is small doesn’t mean you can’t find a quality hairdryer. It’s true that it may not work as well as the high-end blow dryers, but it does work well so it is a matter of deciding whether you want to save money and go with a good quality hair dryer like this one, or do you want to splurge and go with an advanced hair dryer that has all the works. If you choose the first options, the Conair InfinitiPRO Hair Dryer is a great blow dryer and you won’t regret investing your few hard-earned dollars on it.
This hair dryer doesn’t have any fancy patented technology, but it does have most other important qualities that you want in a hairdryer. On top of that, it comes with a two-year limited warranty–the same as blow dryers that happen to be more expensive.
Ratings on a scale of 1 to 5:
Ease of Use: 3
Durability: 4
Heat Output: 4
Price: 5
Options/Settings: 5
Power/Watts: 5
Features of the Conair Tourmaline Ionic Ceramic Hair Dryer
For an inexpensive hair dryer, it’s amazing that it has a motor that is capable of 1875 watts. It is a high torque DC motor, and the hairdryer has three different speed settings with two different heat settings. It has infrared heat technology which dries the hair from the inside out and the negative ions combat frizz and leaves hair smooth and shiny. The cool shot helps to lock your hair in place.
Where to buy:
T3 Cura Luxe Hair Dryer
Award-winning blow dryers are my favorite and the T3 Cura Luxe Hair Dryer is one of these. It won three outstanding beauty awards in 2018: The Spring Beauty O-Awards from Oprah Magazine, The Beauty and Grooming Award from Ebony magazine, and the Cosmopolitan Beauty Award. This Cura Luxe is an upgrade from the original Cura blow dryer. It has more features that make it extra attractive. The upgraded version is easily one of the best blow dryer products you will find on the market right now.
The Cura Luxe is great for fast, easy styling. It might make you lazy because it is so easy to use. This is great, considering the fact that for a blow dryer, it is a bit on the “techy” side.
Ratings on a scale of 1 to 5:
Ease of Use: 3
Durability: 5
Heat Output: 5
Price: 3
Options/Settings: 5
Power/Watts: 5
Features of the T3 Cura Luxe Hair Dryer
The Cura Luxe has so many features that it might take all day to talk about them, but I will just list a few. First, as an ionic dryer, it has a powerful built-in ion generator that will give you smooth, frizz-free locks. It also has a volume-booster button as well as a cool shot lock option.
The motor is 1875 watts for fast, smooth drying and styling. With the auto-pause feature, you don’t have to worry about wasting energy because the blow dryer automatically stops when you release the handle. I am very impressed with the removable filter so you can easily clean it and get the best quality from your blow dryer for a long time. To top it all off, the Cura Luxe also comes with a two-year limited warranty so you can rest assured that you are making a good investment.
Where to buy:
GHD Air Hair Dryer
The GHD Air hair dryer is a great hairdryer, but first I want to talk about the look of the hair dryer. This hair dryer has a sleek, simplistic, modern look that just makes you look professional when you hold it. This is great considering the fact that GHD slates this hair dryer as a professional-grade ionic hair dryer.
On that note, although GHD does call this a professional grade hair dryer, there isn’t anything that specifically sets it apart from the competition to make it more professional than the others besides the look. It has many of the same features as other home hair dryers–a cool shot, two-speed settings, three heat settings, and a 1600 watt air-efficient motor. Okay, so maybe it isn’t “professional” but it is a great hair dryer.
Ratings on a scale of 1 to 5:
Ease of Use: 3
Durability: 4
Heat Output: 3
Price: 3
Options/Settings: 4
Power/Watts: 5
Where to buy:
Solano Supersolano 3500 Lite Professional Hair Dryer
No longer in production
Ratings on a scale of 1 to 5:
Ease of Use: 5
Durability: 4
Heat Output: 4
Price: 3
Options/Settings: 5
Power/Watts: 5
This hair dryer is unique because it is made of ceramic and tourmaline so you get the best of both worlds. Also, since tourmaline conducts negative ions, you also get the benefits of an ionic dryer also. It won the 2011 Allure Best of Beauty Award. It has an 1800 watt motor so it has no problem blowing a powerful air stream. The Supersolano has far infrared technology so it dries hair strands from the inside out. It’s very durable and comes with a 2-year warranty so you should be able to safely use it for professional use without worry.
Drybar Buttercup Blow Dryer
The Drybar Buttercup blow dryer gets its name from its cheerful color. This blow dryer has a very cool and unique feature–it has nanobeads built into the heating coils. These nanobeads are full of 32 minerals which are superconductors of negative ions. The negative ions will seal your cuticles, make your hair smooth, frizz-free, and shiny.
Ratings on a scale of 1 to 5:
Ease of Use: 5
Durability: 4
Heat Output: 4
Price: 4
Options/Settings: 4
Power/Watts: 5
Where to buy:
Paul Mitchell Neuro Dry Blow Dryer
Paul Mitchell is a well-respected name in the beauty industry and this Neuro Dry blow dryer from Paul Mitchell reflects their brand very well. It has a patented technology that dries your hair from the inside out. A lot of other blow dryers claim this type of tech, but this one actually does a pretty good job of that while keeping frizz away.
The Neuro Dry has all the other important features of a great high-end dryer as well. The AC motor delivers 1875 watts. It has four heat settings plus a cool shot. The hair dryer is middle of the pack compared to the blow dryers in this list, but it is a great product.
Ratings on a scale of 1 to 5:
Ease of Use: 5
Durability: 4
Heat Output: 5
Price: 4
Options/Settings: 4
Power/Watts: 4
Where to buy:
BIO IONIC 10x Ultralight Speed Dryer
If you need time on your side, then a good speed dryer is what you need. The BIO IONIC Speed Dryer will dry your hair super fast while leaving it smooth, healthy, and shiny. It uses minerals, infused into the dryer, that emit negative ions to give the desired result.
While the BIO IONIC has all the features of a great high-end blow dryer, and I wouldn’t take away from that, it really is average compared to other comparable blow dryers on the market. The speed drying makes it stand out, but a lot of other high-end blow dryers have their own patented technology that makes them dry hair fast also. With this blow dryer, it really will boil down to whether or not you want this brand.
Ratings on a scale of 1 to 5:
Ease of Use: 5
Durability: 5
Heat Output: 5
Price: 4
Options/Settings: 4
Power/Watts: 5
Where to buy:
Rusk W8less Ceramic and Tourmaline Hair Dryer
For people who are obsessed with power, the RUSK W8less is a superhero. The motor delivers an incredible 2000 watts, so it will blow air like a champion. On top of that, it is extremely lightweight, weighing less than 1 lb. so you can maneuver with it pretty easily. It uses the far infrared technology to dry your hair and you will get very smooth results. This is a blow dryer that definitely sets itself apart from the competition. The best part is that it is relatively inexpensive compared to other high-end blow dryers.
Ratings on a scale of 1 to 5:
Ease of Use: 4
Durability: 4
Heat Output: 4
Price: 5
Options/Settings: 4
Power/Watts: 5
Where to buy:
Conclusion
All of these blow dryers have their advantages. The Harry Josh Pro Dryer 2000 surpasses the other blow dryers in all areas. Yes, the ionizer works well by leaving you with smooth, shiny hair. However, it is also a very durable blow dryer and will last you for a long time so it is well worth the investment. You have so many options with this hair dryer–it’s versatile and great for any type of hair.
If you can’t splurge on the Harry Josh Pro Dryer 2000, we recommend the Rusk W8less Ceramic and Tourmaline Hair Dryer. This is another great quality blow dryer that, surprisingly, has a stronger motor than the Harry Josh Pro Dryer 2000. Either way, you will be getting a great blow dryer.